Sunday, February 12, 2006

I've got it all figured out. I know what's wrong with this country.
It came to me yesterday when I went to the store.
There were weather reports that it was going to get really cold and snow last night. Living in the Deep South, that's big news.
I decided to go to the store and stock up on the important things like ice cream, junk food and cokes. Just to be sure we didn't run out in case we got stuck up on our little hill for a few days.
The parking lot was so crowded I had to park on the farrrthheessst end of it. This was a tad irritating. Not that I mind the walk, but it was cold. So I put on my coat for the second time this year. It was 30 somthing degrees and I had to walk all that way with the wind blowing right through me.
I'm tough though. I lived up north for a few years. I set my jaw and put my head into the wind and walked across the Tundra of a parking lot so I could provide for my family.
When I got into the store there was utter chaos everywhere. Everyone was stocking up. But they were buying things like milk, eggs and bread. There was still ice cream and cokes so I knew we'd survive.
As I was making my way through the isles and bumping into people at every turn it suddenly hit me.
This is what's wrong with the world, at least our country. There are too many people. Way too many. And at least 50% of them don't speak English.
Now, I know people reading this will call me a bigot. I'm not. Anyone who knows me personally knows I'm not.
But if I moved to, say Spain, I would expect to have to learn to speak Spanish in order to be understood and get through life there. I would not expect everyone there to accommodate me by speaking English. Nor would I expect them to change their lifestyles to accommodate my culture. I am American, they are Spainiards. Viva la différence.
In fairness though, many of the non-English speaking people I literally bumped into had probably only been in the country 15 minutes or so, this time.
In situations like this I use my entire Spanish vocabulary of 5 or 6 phrases and then resort to pointing and grunting. Everyone smiling and no one having a clue what the other is trying to say.
Hola. Excusa. Around another corner, Hola. Excusa. We are very polite people in this part of the country.I wouldn't be so torked about it if they paid taxes. That's what really gets under my skin. Doing what I do for a living I know they are very familiar with and use our very generous welfare system and take full advantage of services offered. I think they are giving 'how to get every tax dollar possible' manuals as they cross the Rio Grande. I also know they work very hard, value their families and the neighborhoods they have moved into as groups have improved dramatically under their care.
I just wish they were documented and paid taxes. Especially when I'm doing my taxes and see how much we pay out of our income for taxes.
I don't mind paying for children who, through no fault of their own, have to be on the welfare system. I don't mind paying for the elderly who have worked hard their entire lives, are under appreciated for what they offer us and generally shoved aside by our society. Which is our misfortune.
I want my tax dollars going toward the defense of our country. I don't mind my tax dollars being used to help care for those who truly can not care for themselves. I understand that my tax dollars have to be used to keep roads fixed, sewer systems functioning, inspectors to keep us all from getting food poisoning every time we go to a restaurant.
I love the parks and other municiple facilities that make our lives a little nicer and easier. There are perfectly good and legitimate uses for our tax dollars for which I am more than willing to pay my part.
I also don't mind the Boy Scouts using facilities paid for by my tax dollars.
I do not like my tax dollars being used for unnecessary pork or to support people who are 'working the system'. That makes me mad. It's not like we couldn't use the money ourselves.
When I see how much my son makes as a Lieutenant in the United States Army, I think we should be ashamed of ourselves for what our Soldiers are paid.
So, as I walked across the cold parking lot, stood in line to get a cart, waited in isles for families of 12 to decide which gallon of milk they were going to buy, bumped into groups every time I rounded a corner and waited in an unbelievably long line to check out, I grew increasingly irritated.
As I was standing in line to leave the building while the lady at the door checked everyone's receipts (the final insult - when did they start doing that anyway?). I thought, there are just too many people in the world.
One of the things wrong with this country is there are too many people in the world and way too many of them aren't helping support the system.
adios.

My Blue Star Life

Blogs I Like

Stats

Disclosure

The opinions expressed in this blog are mine and mine alone. They do not represent the opinions of anyone associated with me in any way.

As of January 2008 I have monetized this blog. I have included advertising on the blog and occasionally write posts for which I receive compensation. I usually, but don’t always, disclose that I have written a post for compensation. I do guarantee an honest opinion in the post regardless of whether or not it has been requested and/or I am compensated for it.